I saw it in the States, I left Central America asking this question and 3 months later, my heart is screaming it even louder-
WHERE ARE ALL THE DADS AND MOMS? WHERE ARE ALL THE SISTERS AND BROTHERS? WHERE ARE ALL THE MENTORS? WHERE ARE YOU?!
I’ve been to 6 countries where I’ve seen the rippling affects of the father and motherless and what I’ve seen and the questions are daunting. I know that not everyone has the chance to go to other countries and see it for themselves firsthand. So beyond hearing stories secondhand from me, I challenge you to look in your own backyard. Whether you live in the US, Canada, or wherever you’re reading this from. Look around you. Listen to people’s stories. Observe. Look at the news, look at your community, look at your church, your friends, even yourself. Do you see it? Do you hear it? Do you feel it? Because it’s real.
This generation has been debilitated by absent fathers and a mothers. And the generation before, too. The fathers and mothers now are only leading out of what they’ve known themselves. And now this generation will do the same. My question is this – when will it stop? What more has to happen, what more do we need to see before we step up and do something about it? Do we need to lose one more generation as they search after the wrong things trying to fill the void that God appointed a mom and dad to fill? How long will they keep searching before someone decides to invest in their life and teach them how to live abundant life? How long will it take before the men and women of God step up to be the literal hands, feet, and heartbeat in someone’s life that God wants to use to undo the hurt and brokenness?
It doesn’t have to be your own flesh and blood. Paul wasn’t even married, but he took the young boys under his wing and taught them to be mighy men. Jesus did the same with his disciples. Ruth chose to be the daughter Naomi needed.
Who can you teach how to work on cars and how to cook? How to build things and play instruments? How to dance and have fun? Who can you tutor and help with their homework? Who can you cook for and provide a home who has none? Who can you teach the importance and value of hard work and honesty? Who can you teach what it means to be loved and how to love? Who can you teach what being a man/woman, husband/wife, sister/ brother, true friend looks like? Who can you teach who Christ is by example and not only by words? Who can you teach how to pray, to hear from the Lord, to worship with abandonment, to have joy and peace in the midst of the fiercest battles, that Jesus is everything they need and He will never fail them? Who can you teach what it feels like to be invested in and how to invest in others? Who can you teach the Word of God and what is right and wrong? Who can you teach how to choose for themselves and to live life with a pure heart? Who can you teach what it looks like to mess up and how to forgive? To go through a storm, get knocked around, and stand up again? Who can you nurture and cherish?
Let me ask you this. If you won’t, who will?
There are some I know who are actively doing these things. But mostly, I see the majority of the church sitting. Sitting, waiting for someone else to step up. Waiting for the pastors and the leaders to do what’s “expected”. But, is the body only made of the head and feet? Or is it only made of the eyes and mouth? No. It would never survive and it would never be fully effective. A body is made up of EVERY part, from head to toe, liver to skin. And to make it function and be effective, EVERY part has to MOVE. It has to do what? MOVE! It has to MOVE! Every part. The church is not just a building with four walls. The church is the body of Christ made up of all of His children.
So what part of the body are you? Now let me ask, are you moving? Seriously. Take a 2 minute breather and think about it. So many times we read things like this or hear it from the platform and think they’re speaking to someone else, or we give an amen and let it slide out our ear when we wake up the next morning. I know because I’ve done that myself. I’m not trying to judge anyone here, but only ask that you take a moment and ask the Lord if any of this applies to you. Have you been sitting? Or is there something more He wants you to do? Is there a person He put on your heart as you were reading this that made you say, “Yeah, these stories remind me of so-and-so.” or “I need to reach out to this person.”? If so, I challenge you, do something about it! Don’t just read this and have good intentions but never follow through. It’s time for the church to wake up! It’s time for the church to become dads and moms to the father and motherless, sons and daughters to the childless, brothers and sisters, mentors and friends. And remember, father and motherless doesn’t always mean physically, but also emotionally and spiritually.
Jesus said to reach out to the orphans. Why should there be an orphan spirit ravaging through our generation when the Lord is our Father and has chosen us to show the physical representation of that?
I’d love to hear your thoughts and opinions, feel free to comment below!
*I have 25 days to raise $4,500 to continue on the World Race sharing the love of Jesus Christ with people around the world or I’ll have to go home early, will you help support me?
